US
: GSM operators will have the opportunity to derive business benefits
by evolving to a packetized core network technology and more profitably
address all segments of the marketplace.
3G
Americas today published a white paper, The Benefits to GSM Operators
of the Packetized Core Network, providing a technical and business
overview of the bearer-independent core network architecture. This
new network design enables operators to provide applications and services
to their customers while reaping the benefits of split architecture
decoupling the control and user (bearer) planes for independent scalability
and a packetized core network that will eliminate the need to run
parallel networks.
The packetization
of existing wireless telephony services through consolidation and
simplification of the core network is the first step toward achieving
the 'all packet' network architecture widely recognized as the ultimate
goal for network operators. The white paper explains how the next
generation core networks will allow a GSM operator to deliver wireless
services at a substantially lower cost base through capital and operational
cost savings via:
less
equipment thereby reducing overall capital investment in the network
and the cost of ownership associated with each network node;
highly scalable network elements enabling a network with far fewer
nodes, reducing internal network overhead and improving network efficiency;
more efficient use of transmission capacity facilitating the scalability
of network interfaces;
ability to geographically distribute and scale network equipment that
no longer has to be at legacy 'central office' sites in constrained
locations;
one common packet network that is used for everything- voice, data
and signaling- simplifying network operation so that there is no need
for multiple overlay networks and reducing network complexity and
the operational overhead.
Chris Pearson, President of 3G Americas stated. "We believe that
the deployment of Next Generation Core Network technology can bring
a diverse range of benefits to GSM operators. 3GPP has taken a leadership
role by specifying the packet core network and IP multimedia subsystem
(IMS) standards to consolidate multiple overlays into a single multi-service
network."
IMS is
a powerful network strategy providing GSM operators a new layer in
the packet domain that will provide person-to-person, real and non-real
time integrated multimedia services such as voice, video, instant
messaging, online gaming, web-sharing and other services over a single
IP network.